With the increasing number of hypertension and diabetes cases post Covid, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to distribute medicines to residents free of cost irrespective of their economic status.
“Those suffering from hypertension and diabetes have increased after Covid. Thus, the central government under its National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) has decided to provide the medicines for the patients free of cost,” said Sanjeev Waware, assistant medical officer in PMC.
The PMC will provide the medicines only to eligible patients who will produce their latest report of hypertension or diabetes to the civic health department.
The proposal to purchase the medicines in bulk was approved in the standing committee. Additional Municipal Commissioner Ravindra Binawade said quotations from drug suppliers were sought on supply of nine medicines.
“Five agencies submitted their quota and it was noticed that nine of the 13 drugs were quoted at price more than the basic estimated price. So they would be purchased separately at a lower price from other agencies. Two medicines each were quoted at par and below par by a distributor so the four medicines will be procured from the lowest quoting agency,” he said.
Waware said the four medicines being procured are Glibencamide 1 mg, Glibernclamide 2 mg, Metroprolol Suiccinated extended release 25 mg and Telma 40 mg. “All the medicines are generic medicines and will be purchased at a total cost of Rs 43.70 lakh,” he said.
Waware said that the announcement for actual distribution and locations would be declared later on. “If there is a shortage of medicines then the civic body would purchase more medicines to meet the demand of patients,” Waware added.
